Bella's Little Buddy
Location: Colorado River Date: July 6, 1992 Story On July 6, 1992, Maddy Emerett and her two sons, L.J. and Neil, spent a summer vacation at her father's house on the Colorado River. Her husband, Lyman, joined them every weekend as work allowed. "Compared to other parts of the Colorado River, the current is so strong that once you get in you are carried away by it," Maddy remembers. Neil did not know how to swim but was looking forward to seeing his grandpa and Bella, his golden retriever. "Wherever Neil goes, Bella is there," said Lyman. He then gave Neil a hug because he had to go back to work, warned him to put on his life jacket if he went swimming, and told them that he would be back on Friday. Once he left, Maddy decided to make some sandwiches for L.J. and Neil for lunch and told them to stay away from the water. "L.J. had come in," said Maddy. Neil and Bella snuck down to the river and Neil tried to throw a rope in the water but lost his grip and got carried away by the current. Bella whimpered and jumped in. Maddy and L.J. walked around calling Neil's and Bella's names and she asked him to go ask the neighbors if Neil had wandered off. "I just didn't know which way he had gone," said Maddy. A quarter mile down the river, Rick Decernet and his teenage son, Ricky, were relaxing on their dock. Bella splashed Rick who was watching out in the water and Ricky discovered that Neil was out there. "My dad jumped in the water and Bella swam after him," said Ricky. Rick grabbed hold of Bella's collar and found Neil unconscious. "The first thing that went through my head was, 'He's dead already,'" said Rick. He picked up Neil and his face was pale white and he had no pulse. "One thing I thought was if I knew CPR, maybe I could save this kid," said Rick. Rick's wife, Diane, was in their house when L.J. came looking for Neil. "I told him that Ricky was down at the dock and that he should go look down there," said Diane. L.J. came back, knew that something was wrong with Neil, and Diane asked him to get Maddy. Rick and Bella finally reached shore and were stuck. He gave Neil CPR while Bella watched. He then threw Neil over his shoulders to give him more air and he started coughing up water. Meanwhile, Diane instructed Rick to get Neil in the boat because the current was too strong. Maddy saw the Decernets pulling up, turned around, and ran into the house to call 911. "When I took him from Diane's arms, he was bloated and his body was not the same and he was in and out of consciousness," said Maddy. Rescuers were dispatched to the scene. "I was so afraid and scared that he would die. And my mom and my dad and me love him," said L.J.. It's been a year since the incident. Neil, now four years old, escaped without any injuries. "I don't know what it would be like to be without my son and just a thought of how close he came. And I want to thank the good man upstairs again and that if it wasn't his time, it's our time that we can share together for the rest of our life. It's a tough lesson to learn and as far as it's changed my life he does not go anywhere without his life jacket on," said Lyman. Maddy is most grateful for Bella and the Decernets and they have become friends. Category:1992 Category:Colorado Category:Drownings Category:Animal Rescues Category:Animal Heroes